


never had the courage of my convictions

by wanderseeing



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Implied/Referenced Incest, M/M, Mostly Gen, Post-Canon, Pre-Slash, but can also be construed as
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:47:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28406496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderseeing/pseuds/wanderseeing
Summary: [Post-DMC5.]He’d live with keeping his distance for the rest of time if it meant that Nero allowed him to be part of his life in some way. Vergil had taken enough to last a hundred lifetimes. Maybe even more. He could afford to give parts of himself away, especially to a soul as good as Nero.
Relationships: Dante & Vergil (Devil May Cry), Nero/Vergil (Devil May Cry)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	never had the courage of my convictions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yourpseudoboyfie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourpseudoboyfie/gifts).



“Look man, I don’t want any trouble. I just wanted a drink.”

Vergil stayed silent, allowing only the raise of an eyebrow to express his disbelief at the man’s statement. Considering how sleazy he’d just been to the lone woman seated at the edge of the bar, Vergil couldn’t be blamed for doubting that statement. The guy was dressed to impress, but his wandering hands definitely spelled trouble. Not that Vergil particularly wanted to play hero, it’s just that these sort of vermin always meant some sort of ruckus was bound to occur. It was much easier to nip them in the bud.

It did help that Vergil knew he still emanated some sort of aura that made humans incredibly wary around him. Considering how many rowdy patrons he constantly had to deal with, his caustic nature worked to his benefit. He preferred everyone at an arm’s length anyway. It was much easier to judge people from a distance.

“I do believe it would be in your best interests if I cut you off for the evening, _sir_ ,” Vergil drawled, giving the man’s hand another squeeze. “But it was pleasant to make your acquaintance.”

With one last shake, Vergil finally let his hand go, careful not to smile at the hiss of pain he heard. At least one of those hands would be learning a lesson. 

The man quickly scurried out of the bar without another word, and Vergil went back to work wiping glasses down and putting them away. He’d probably get some flak for driving another customer away, but to be honest, if it saved him the hassle, he could stand to sit through another one of his employer’s little lectures. They were amusing to listen to, if anything, just because the old lady who ran this bar was practically blind, though she’d wallop the hell out of anyone who tried to tell her that, Vergil included. Her feistiness made her interesting, and vague curiosity about humanity’s goings-on aside, it was the only reason Vergil continued to work here.

A few minutes barely passed before he felt his brother’s presence seat himself at the counter. Vergil sighed, reaching up to slide the wine glass he’d just finished wiping into place before turning around.

The sight of that annoying smirk on Dante’s face was enough to make Vergil’s eye twitch. Lovely.

“Got any vodka back there?” Dante asked, tapping his fingers on the counter. Vergil resisted the urge to stab his hand with a fork. He was working on avoiding bringing about Nero’s disappointed face, which was difficult when it felt like everything he did was somehow wrong in some way, but he still had the urge to try. He had about 20 years to make up for, anyway. Vergil couldn’t really fault the kid for being prickly with him. And not that he’d admit it out loud, but Nero’s sharp tongue was a little endearing.

“I don’t know why you insist on asking that when you’re literally here almost every other night,” Vergil said. His brother’s stupid sense of humour was ridiculous and utterly exasperating, and probably the most difficult exercise in patience he consistently had to endure. But, well. Nero asked him to be nice. Apparently, Vergil’s tolerance for bullshit grows exponentially higher when he thinks about the kid.

It was an… interesting realisation to process, to say the least, but he’s over it. He’s too tired to fight truths anymore. Vergil found that it was much easier to just ‘go with the flow’, as the human saying goes, as long as he wasn’t thinking too hard about it. Otherwise he’d be scratching his eyes out wondering what the hell he was even doing being so domestic.

“I like how it makes your eye twitch,” Dante quipped, that little bastard. Vergil pursed his lips but chose not to dignify that with a response, and went about mixing up Dante’s usual. “Oh, and just as a heads up, Nero’s coming over in a bit to invite you to Kyrie’s little birthday thing. Figured you’d appreciate not being caught off-guard.”

Vergil paused in pouring the drink into a glass with ice and eyed Dante suspiciously. “That’s… uncharacteristically nice of you. Are you looking for some kind of favour?”

Dante rolled his eyes. “Honestly, it’s more for the kid’s sake than for you. We’re all getting a little sick of the whole ‘walking-on-eggshells’ shit the both of you have been doing. If we can help you two get along better, then Nero can be less bitchy, and you can pull that massive stick from your ass. Being around you at the same time is driving me up the goddamn wall.”

Vergil frowned, but his shoulders relaxed a little bit, and he finished pouring the rest of the drink. He placed it in front of Dante and watched him down half of it one go. Absolute heathen.

Dante gave a contented sigh after swallowing. He tipped the glass at Vergil. “You know, if you really want to know what’s going on in that kid’s head, there’s a really simple way of finding out.”

Vergil shook his head. “I don’t know how clearer I have to make it, but I don’t have any interest in befriending Nico or that Kyrie girl any further than I already have, even if they have information I want.”

Dante snorted. “Stop being dense. You literally just need to talk to Nero. Like actually talk to him. I’m pretty sure he’s waiting for you to make the first move.”

What a joke. Vergil couldn’t help but scoff. “Of course, and have myself thrown through the wall for my efforts? I’d rather not.”

Not that it would do any damage physically, but Vergil was honest enough with himself nowadays to acknowledge that his dignity hadn’t recovered from the last time he and the kid fought each other. He’d live with keeping his distance for the rest of time if it meant that Nero allowed him to be part of his life in some way. Vergil had taken enough to last a hundred lifetimes. Maybe even more. He could afford to give parts of himself away, especially to a soul as good as Nero.

Dante swiped a hand through his hair and huffed a sigh through his nose. “Even if he did do that—and I’m pretty sure he won’t—so what? Let him throw you through a wall or two, it’s not like you don’t deserve it.” Vergil shot him a dirty look, but of course, it rolled right over Dante’s shoulders. “Seriously, brother. The kid might be angry, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to forgive you. He’s reaching out, in his own way. Just buck up and do the rest of the work so he knows you actually mean to stick around this time.”

Vergil crossed his arms, defensive. This was _not_ the conversation he wanted to be having with his brother, particularly while he was at work, where he couldn’t give in to the urge to distract Dante with a quick and dirty fight.

“Of course I’m sticking around. I’m literally working a block away from where he lives.”

Dante gulped down the rest of his drink, then swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Yeah, well, guess he sorta takes after you in the emotional department. Besides, he can’t read you as well as I can. As far as he knows, you’re just tolerating him for now, and the moment anything goes south, you’ll disappear.”

“I wouldn’t do that. Not to Nero. Not again.”

Vergil met Dante’s eyes and was a little taken aback by the sudden seriousness he saw in them. “Sure. But have you actually told him that though? Like, with words?”

No, he didn’t, but Vergil didn’t even need to say that. They both knew. And as much as it irked him to admit, Dante was right. Vergil had to be the one to step up because Nero was… well, the kid was brash, but he was also sensitive in the most surprising of ways. Vergil didn’t know why it hadn't occurred to him sooner that Nero’s awkward and tentative attempts to be civil wasn’t for his own benefit, but for Vergil’s.

The frustrated realisation probably showed on his face because that dumb, smug smirk broke out through Dante’s serious expression again. Vergil held a finger up to silence him just as the idiot opened his mouth, probably to rub how he'd hit the nail on the head even further.

The brothers looked up at the sound of the door’s opening. Vergil resisted the urge to retreat upstairs when he saw who it was.

“Hey, kid,” Dante greeted as Nero came to take a seat next to him at the counter. Dante held Vergil’s gaze above the kid’s head a moment longer before he slid his glass towards Vergil and stood up. “Glad you’re here, because I just finished my drink and I forgot my wallet at home. Cover for me, will ya?”

Nero started to protest, but Dante was already out the doors with a lazy, two-fingered salute.

“Damn deadweight...” Nero mumbled, glaring at the counter with his arms crossed and his shoulders hunched. Vergil watched in silence as Nero avoided his gaze, his leg fidgeting and his eyes darting around the bar. They made tentative eye contact once before Nero’s eyes were jumping away again.

Vergil rubbed the back of his neck and took a breath. Fine. Dante can be right just this one time. He went to stand in front of the kid and initiated a greeting for the first time.

“Nero,” Vergil said quietly, observing the way he froze at the sound of his name, “did you… want to talk?”

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIE!!
> 
> So my group of friends decided to do secret santa this year, but with art that we've made as gifts. As I can't really draw or paint, writing was my weapon of choice, and Sophie requested for some Vergil/Nero exploration!
> 
> This was a lovely challenge to take on because I'm not actually part of this fandom—I've never played any of the games, or watched any playthroughs. In fact, all I really knew about it were the characters' names, specifically Dante, Vergil, and Nero lmao. It was nerve-wracking to try and write a fic when I had only just did a crash course in immersing myself within the fandom as quick as I could via TikToks, Youtube clips and fanvids, as well as reading other fics. Hopefully, however, it's paid off! 
> 
> This was also my first time writing for an unfamiliar fandom, and I'm glad I was able to finish in time with a product I was happy to share with the giftee. :) With her permission, I thought to also share it on here.


End file.
